TRIBUTES TO Michaela Harte were paid by the sporting, political and Tyrone community following the death of the only daughter of Tyrone football manager Mickey Harte.
Ms Harte (27) was found dead at her hotel in Mauritius yesterday where she was on honeymoon with her husband, Down footballer John McAreavey.
She was a secondary school teacher at St Patrick’s Academy, Dungannon and a former Rose of Tralee contestant.
Ms Harte was a well-known figure in Tyrone GAA football circles since her father began managing the minor team in 1991 and later led the senior team to three All-Ireland wins.
Chairman of the Tyrone GAA County Board Ciarán McLaughlin said the entire county was in mourning. He described Ms Harte as her father’s “number one fan and number one supporter”.
In a statement the Tyrone County Board said it was “shocked and greatly saddened” by her death. “This tragedy will be sorely felt throughout the Tyrone GAA family,” the statement read.
Last night Bishop John McAreavey, Mr McAreavey’s uncle, said “ there are fears” about the circumstances of the death. “We fear something has happened but we still have so many unanswered questions,” he said in Banbridge.
He said that Michaela was the light of her husband’s life and the death had been devastating for the family. “My strongest sense is that a light has gone out,” he said.
Mickey Harte’s lifelong friend, Donaghmore parish priest Fr Gerard McAleer, last night paid tribute to “a beautiful young woman” who had never been happier.
Fr McAleer officiated at Ms Harte’s wedding at St Malachy’s Church, Ballymacilroy, Co Tyrone, on December 30th last. “I have seen her grow into a very beautiful young woman; intensely interested in the GAA; intensely proud of her family; intensely proud of her mum and dad; very, very well adjusted; just somebody you could be very, very proud of.
“I never saw her happier than she was on her wedding day. She was radiant . . . She couldn’t have been happier,” he said.
Ms Harte represented Ulster in the 2004 Rose of Tralee contest. In a statement the general manager of the festival expressed sadness at her “tragic and untimely death”.
“Michaela was a wonderful person who had her whole life ahead of her,” he said.
Martin McGuinness, Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister, said he was “shocked”. Speaking of her recent wedding and plans of a “long and happy life together”, he said: “They had so much to live for but now their hopes have been cruelly dashed”.
He paid tribute to her devotion to Tyrone football. “Michaela was always close to her father’s side during many great days for Tyrone football,” he said. “Her enthusiasm for her native county, for which she was an excellent ambassador, knew no bounds.”
Local Sinn Féin MLA and Minister for Agriculture Michelle Gildernew said she heard of Ms Harte’s death “with deep shock and disbelief”.
“Michaela was a beautiful and talented young woman who will be sadly missed,” she said.